The National Water Company (NWC) has begun a slew of wastewater treatment projects in Saudi Arabia, focusing on Jeddah and the country's northern borders.
It is launching 15 major development projects worth more than US$613mn (SAR 2.3bn) in Jeddah, aimed at enhancing wastewater services and operational efficiency for more than 1.3 million residents.
These initiatives form part of NWC’s wider strategy to expand infrastructure and improve service quality across key urban areas.
One of the flagship projects underway is the Eastern Tunnel Project in Jeddah, which involves constructing a sewage pipeline from areas east of Haramain Road to Lift Station 2 at the airport.
Valued at over US$206mn (SAR 774mn), the project will use advanced tunnelling technologies that minimise surface disruption, preserving traffic flow and existing services.
The 14 km transmission line will serve as a vital conduit for improving environmental systems in districts such as Braiman, Al Manar, Al Ajwad, and others, benefiting approximately 1.1 million people.
Additionally, NWC is developing a sewage lifting station at the airport with a daily capacity of 611,000 m3, at a cost exceeding US$244mn (SAR 915mn), to support pollution reduction and network expansion.
In the Samer districts, more than 17.8 km of new sewerage lines are being laid in a US$14.4mn (SAR 54mn) project, targeting 20,000 beneficiaries.
The company has also launched ten feeder line projects across several Jeddah districts and two surface water reduction initiatives in Bahra and Kilo 14, collectively valued at US$165.33mn (SAR 620mn).
In total, the Jeddah projects cover over 238 km and serve more than 184,000 people.
Supporting the northern residents
Through the company's Northern Cluster, NWC has also commenced work on two major sanitation projects in Saudi Arabia’s Northern Borders region, with a combined investment exceeding US$107mn (SAR 400mn).
The first project involves the construction of a tertiary wastewater treatment plant in Arar, designed to handle up to 40,000 m3 per day, alongside a lifting station with a capacity of 72,000 m3 per day.
This initiative alone is valued at more than US$91mn (SAR 341mn).
The second project focuses on expanding sewage infrastructure in Rafhaa Governorate, where over 74 km of sewage pipelines will be laid, and a lifting station with a 22,000 m3 daily capacity will be built at a cost of more than US$15.7mn(SAR 59mn).
NWC stated that these projects align with its broader strategy to meet rising demand for water and sanitation services, while also contributing to improved quality of life and supporting the goals of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
The company added that these developments aim to accelerate development and to increase the percentage of services in unserved districts to increase operational efficiency in the water and wastewater sector.